Witchy Brawd in a sketch challenge

Isn't she the cutest witch? She is a freebie digi over at Totally Stampalicious and they are having a challenge. Be sure to click on the highlight to check it out.

She is a witch too. I reached for my black prisma pencil and she told me, "No, I want my purple hat!" And then we argued about the fact that there is no purple in the paper and how great the black would go with the design and the Orenge, but I lost the battle. So now that the hat stuck out like a sore thumb, I had to come up with some corners to tie it in. I'm telling you, she is difficult! And you are thinking right, I really need to get out of the house more often, lol.

Many thanks to Sue for sending me the message and inviting me to play along.

I'm also using the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge again.

Usage: Primsa Colored Pencils and gamsol for color, Black soot ink, Curved rectangles Spellbinders die, Martha Stewart Halloween mini pack (scored at Mike's - 30% off!) black brads

Thanks for looking

There she goes challenge and Sketch Challenge

I'm not sure how I feel about this one, but I'm uploading and submitting anyway, lol.

There She Goes challenge was to use colors in an inspirational picture. Can you guess the colors? lol. Why do I always take these challenges so literal and to the extreme? That is funny. Teal, Black and yellow with a hint of white. The card design I used was for the Sketch Challenge going on over at SCS now.

Stamps: There She Goes - Fairy Good Day ( I just love the mushroom homes and the little teeny tiny fairies)
DSP: Sassafras - Nerdy Bird (The colors were perfect for this challenge and I had my own challenge to use this dsp twice, so it's a win/win)
Ink: Memento black and copics
Other: Oval Spellbinders labels, Big Scallop Spellbinders die. Black Brads

Thanks for looking and I hope you have a Scrappy Day!

My Favorite Things - Dress me up challenge

This was made for the My Favorite Things challenge, dress me up. Well, in California this little gal is dressed up for the rain to cheer someone who is "under the weather." Not that we'll see rain here anytime soon, lol. So that counts as dressed up right? Matching paper pierced umbrella and rainboots, with color coordinating rain coat. I colored her with my limited supply of copics, but I just got these great yellow colors in and wanted to use them.

DSP: Sassafras - Nerdy Bird wee bundle

Ink: Memento tuxedo black

Stamps: MFT pure innocence "my umbrella" AND My cute stamps - "cheer up." Doncha just love how the cloud and the raindrops match the paper? I do!

Other: dementionals to pop up the cloud, Spellbinders blossom and circle. Bobunny ribbon and red button from my stash. I used purple embroidery thread as well. Window label punch from SU.

Thanks for looking.

Sympathy

Unfortunately I needed to make a sympathy card for a co-worker who lost her husband this past weekend.

Fortunately I found this card some time ago and was saving it in my favorites. I love the card design and the Cappella from Basic Grey was still sitting on my desk, so that worked out well.

On a white base I used PTI's blue (not sure of the name of this one, lol) and then layered on a piece of the Cappella. I also layered on another panel using a different pattern in this same line. Placed some off white lace I had in my stash (more on this at the bottom of this post.) I used Spellbinders labels 13 and cut out in white and while it was still in the die, I sponged on Tim Holtz distressed ink, "old paper." This goes so well with these papers, I just love that! I stamped on a verse from S.U.'s Thoughts and Prayers set, and a flourish design from my Labels 5 Waltzingmouse stamp set ( I love the little flourishes that come with these.) And inked up the flourish in T.H. "stormy sky." I stamped off the ink once to give it the nice light color that matches the paper. Then I fussy cut around the die using the embossed edges as my guide. I read somewhere that if you try to be as smooth as you can while cutting around the corners and then go ahead and snip off at the corners, this will look better. I also used a sanding block around the corners to help smooth it out a bit more. Then I cut the same die size out in blue and layered these. I added some Kaiser Pearls and adhered this on with Scor-tape. I love using Scor-tape for anything ribbony, it stays put. I finished this with Vanilla Taffeta from S.U. and used my bow easy for the bow (again adhered with Scor-tape.) I added a couple butterfly's from a Martha Stewart punch and added some pearls to those as well. Those itty bitty pearls are from Stampin Up's new pearl package.

Lace. I love the look of lace on cards. I buy a little here and a little there and keep it in my stash for having a variety. My friend Liz took me to a local fabric shop on the other end of town and we found a ton of trim and lace for .50 a yard. SCORE!!!! I'm used to paying $2.00 a yard in the scrappy stores, so this is something I wanted to share with you. If you live in a city or near a big city, it pays to go looking around. Even though there were only a few of them I could actually use with paper crafting, it paid to go looking.

Thanks for looking and I hope you have a very scrappy day!

Card fit for a Queen

I started this card yesterday and finished it up today. My friend is wanting some samples of how crafters can use the Spellbinder Nesties together to hang in the store she works in and my imagination has gone into overdrive, lol.

I love these cards I found on this blog. I like the layouts and some of designs just speak to me, lol. I do like to change things around to make them my own, and so this is what I came up with.

I used Spellbinders labels Five and created a frame by cutting out two at a time. I stamped the Waltzingmouse labels onto the cut out and I have to say, of all the labels out there, I really do like these quite a bit. They are easy to use and add so much to the cards. The sentiment is from PTI's out on a limb stamp set. The corners are from Spellbinders Fleur De Lis dies. I cut the middle section out and then cut that in half, trimmed up some rough edges and voila. I also used the Fleur De Lis small shape for the leaves. I used heartfelt creations posies stamps and cut them out. I do have the dies to cut them out but for some reason, they are difficult to work with and line up with the images. I inked up the flowers and edges with Tim Holtz inks: Spun sugar, dried marigold, peeled paint, old paper, tea dye. I also used SU's basic gray. And speaking of basic grey, the dsp is Cappella. I also used SU's very vanilla and basic grey papers along with some pearls. Hope you like it and it inspires you to make something with your own spellbinders. I know mine have not been used too much, but I am trying to remedy that, lol.

This is also for Anne Ryan's QFTD challenge over at splitcoast stampers.

Fair Time

Jeep informed us on Saturday morning we were going to the fair. He had read his 200 minutes and earned a free fair pass this year. Too bad that did not come with a wrist band for the rides, lol. So after debating for a few minutes, I finally caved. And the three of us set out in the mid day heat to go to the fair.

$30.00 wrist bands are always bitter pills to swallow, especially if you know Jeep. He goes in with such enthusiasm but then once he evaluates a ride, he usually decided, "uh, no." This year we lucked out and he found some friends from school who wanted to "hang out." It is a lot more fun when you have friends along for the ride, lol.

After a few hours of rides, we went off to the fried food section and ate fair food. I did sneak in a corndog while he was riding and ended up wearing the mustard. The dispenser shot out mustard about 12 feet and I was standing in the way, lol. I told the guy at the stand, "Hey, I just got mustard all over me, your dispenser is shooting mustard." He told me I should have read the sign and stood back. And sure enough, there was a sign warning about the mustard dispenser. Do any of you ever read all of the signs at the fair? I never thought to look for warning labels for mustard under attack mode, lol.

We debated about taking him this year. The allergens are so aweful between our air quality, the grass, the smokers, the animal dander and the dust. Every year we take him and then every year we have to fight uncontrolled asthma for a few days. The doctor tells us to avoid it at all costs. But all that aside, how can we deny him this yearly experience? I know, I know, the health blah blah blah, I give this lecture to parents too, I'm a nurse, lol. But there is also child psychology 101. And we have to weigh the risks and the benefits. He worked hard for this pass and he was looking forward to going. So we went earlier to try and avoid the bigger crowds and smokers, lol. I am happy to report this year, no major attack for him, but my allergies are horrible, which is why I am doubling up on my allergy medications and getting no sleep from the side effects of that tonight, lol.

At least I have time to post now. lol.

Renaissance Hearts and a little help from my friends

Oh I am so happy today! All three tests are done, all three are passed and behind me, and I am once again free to make what I love. Well, Joe and Jeep let me have enough time to make this, lol. They have both been so wonderful about putting life on hold for studying and Joe has encouraged me both with the studying and the card making so much. I just really appriciate him so much.

I saw this blog and loved the way she patterns her spellbinders together. I had to borrow my friends Decorative corners, but my on-line friend Vicki has me hooked up to get some of my own. My on line friend Jodi R sent me this beautiful paper and I have been hoarding it along with the rest of my things, lol.

I inked up S.U.'s vintage vogue in PTI's Fresh Snow and loved the suble background pattern that created. And then I messed around with the Renaissance Hearts, Blossoms, Circles, and decorative corners Spellbinders dies, added some pearls and voila, a mental picture has come to life.

I do need to figure out the right "sandwhich" to get my spellbinders to emboss a little better in my big shot. I like the suble embossing on some things, but I really wanted those corners to go to town on the embossing. I think next time I'll try more cardstock in the sandwhich or use thicker cardstock.

Now when the blogger God's will let me upload my picture (always seems to be a problem before midnight, lol) I'll post this and let me know what you think.

Chickadee birds Anniversary

I made this for Joe for our Anniversary this year. He keeps it by his desk, I think he likes this one, lol.

I'm still studying....is it the weekend yet? I'm going through card making withdrawls now.

Last test is tomarow. Wish me luck and pray I am feeling better by tomarow, I hate the headache, sinus pressure feeling when I'm trying to concentrate.

I cannot recall who created these chickadee birds first, but we all KopyKat'd them, lol. I used the I {heart} hearts by SU and the wood grain folder by Tim Holtz, and a whole lot of ink, lol. Oh and Martha Stewart (bless her for all the wonderful punches she creates and we buy) branch punch.

Thanks for looking and sticking with me during this busy time.

All a flutter

A blast from the past, maybe not, lol, how about the beginning of August? I used all a flutter by SU and embossed with black, colored in with twinkling h2o's. I used EK success vine border and EK success embossed scallops punch. black gingham ribbon, bow easy, and paper peirced the tiny holes on top. I like the colors together.

I am studying for ACLS today and will be for the rest of the week. Testing day (8 hours) on thuresday. No matter how many times I take this one, it's always killer to study for, especially now that I am not working in the E.D. But it's in the brain cells somewhere and I've done it time and again, so I can do it again. Oh, but I so want to be stamping instead. Next weekend......lol.

Serious Soccer Buisness

This is my favorite Jeep position. He is serious about his soccer game and ready for something to happen.

We won yesterday's game agains the Dolphin's ... Whoot!

Aunt Nancy, Uncle David and cousin Aric came up from San Diego to see the game and spend the day. Of course I did not get a pic with all of them for the blog post, that would have been too perfect! Augggh.

I was FEATURED in the "There She Goes" blog!

OMG, I am this weeks featured stamper on the "There She Goes blog." I am so excited I can't even begin to tell you. Many thanks to TSG's and to the other Holly (lol) for featuring me. You can view the feature here.

Now on to their stamps. Have you been to the There She Goes online store? Oh, they are so many cute stamp sets I can't even being to tell you. I really like the quality of clear stamps they have as well. Sometimes clear stamps can be a drag and hard to work with, but the TSG's stamps ink up perfectly every time.

Thanks again for the article, it made my week!

Picking Cherries from the Wonky Tree

I have had this card in my favorites for a long time. Kitty 747 on Splitcoaststampers is one of my favorite artists to KopyKat. Love her watercoloring, sponging and ideas. But I wanted to make mine with a twist, I wanted to use my Wonky Squares by Spellbinders nestabilities again. So I made a Wonky Cherry tree, lol.

A friend of mine asked me to make some cards using products available at a local scrappy store she works in. They have lots and lots of Tim Holtz inks and so do I, lol, so I decided to watercolor using the pads, a plastic cup with water and a really cheap watercoloring brush. The colors I used were: shabby shutters, peeled paint, barn door, faded jeans, scattered straw, vintage photo, stormy sky (sponged), tumbled glass (sponged), and old paper. I also used glossy accents on the cherries for more shine. The adorable image is Stampavie, picking cherries ~ I'm not sure where I bought this, but I know Joan has these in her on-line store. I also used an EK success punch chain link and weaved my gingham ribbon through. I used my copics for skin tones (available here.)

For the scenery, other than trying to channel some of Kitty's talent, I also used her Kitty's Kit, Master one scenery set. You can google it and find it easily.

There's product, product available everywhere, but the links are people I like to buy from, as well as my local scrapbooking stores. :)

Hope you like this KopyKat.

TSG72 Kim's Sketch with a Birthday

This is for the There She Goes challenge 72. I used the little fairy from the "Fairy Good Day" set. In this challenge we were given a sketch and there is a bonus if it's a birthday card. You can read about the challenge here. This is the first pic I've taken outside, lol. I wanted the spica pen glitter to show up in the wings, wand and shoes. I like that the ribbon is sparkly too.

Stamps: There she goes, fairy good day. SU teeny tiny wishes

Paper: togetherness mini deck by Cosmo Cricket, Marina mist and Blusing bride by SU

Ink: Memento black and cantalope, skin tones done with the copics, prisma pencils and spica pens.

Other: gamsol, ribbon, modern label punch, window punch, Nesties ovals, lattice embosser.

Thanks for looking and commenting.....keeping my fingers crossed for this one, I really want the new dog set, lol.

Happy Together

I made this card back in March and am still getting comments on it! How great is that? I used stampin up's Happy Everything set that was recently retired. Black and white cardstock, and some cuttlebug folders for embossing. I used the nesties hearts and glued on rhinestones and ribbon. I was concidering myself very fortunate to have these little flowers AND was able to find them, lol. Does that ever happen to you? I buy all these little do-dads to keep in my stash for when I need them, and then I have something in mind for a card and cannot find them til months after the project is completed. lol. But not on this one, this one I was able to find them and they went perfectly with this card.

I'm suppose to be studying for my BLS class right now, lol. I need to read this book for tomarrow's class, but OMG, I am so over it. lol. Not over saving people if I have to - lol, just over this same class I've taken every two years for the past 16 years. I think this is my 9th Basic life support class. This year is a bit different. Steven Cowell has been my BLS instructor since nursing school, and he past away recently. So the thought of going tomarow and him not being there has put a damper on my spirits for this class. He was one of those instructors everyone complained about, "too picky, too difficult, yada yada, yada." But he was very passionate about what he was teaching and took it very seriously and I totally got that and respected him for that. Ineffective chest compressions and life support can cost a life, I get that. But reading this book again, yeah, over it. lol.

Joan's Garden Challenge

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. Well I had to really try to use my imagination for this challenge, lol. You can read about it here. The challenge is to make a card using red, brown and green; pearls and lace; Heartfelt creations stamps and dies are extra credit. So I wanted all the credit I could get because I really love these heartfelt creation stamps and dies and winning a stamp would be heaven.

I used SU real red, pear pizzazz, chocolate chip. I used the heartfelt creations posey patch stamps and dies, along with the perfect petal leaves, and I cannot remember the name of the fancy background die, but I love it! I also used Unity's "The artist in you." SU lace, Kaiser kraft pearls, Nesties label 4, PTI cream, EK success corner punch. For the corners, I stamped poseys and sponged with real red and then punched them out (it went with the posey's.)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!!!

9-11 We Will Never Forget

Today is a sad anniversary for our country and one many of us will never forget. So many peoples lives were effected. Today is a good day to remember and be mindful and pray for those who are once again suffering by the memories and their loss. It's a good day to remember that we are not promised tomarrow and what we have today is something to be grateful for. I will never forget the shock and terror that I and those around me felt. Life can change in an instant, that day changed the way I feel about things forever. 9-11 I will never forget.

Queen Anne's been spotted!

Our dear friend Anne had to leave for personal matters this week, so Mutnik (I take no responsibility here, lol) decided this would be the perfect opportunity to make Anne the Queen for a Week. I decided to go on a search for Anne, rather than even begin to touch her gallery, (talk about intimidation!!!) And I found Anne on the coast of Florida soaking up the sun. It's a good thing the news crews spotted her first and messaged our former highness to send the crown South, way South. lol.

I am also trying my first Kraftin' Kimmie challenge. Dang it, I should have made time last week for the "add pearly whites", lol, this sketch challenge twisted my brain a bit. It's hard enough for me to "get" it, let alone flip the sketch. But it was also lots and lots of fun and I have not inked up Florence (AKA Anne) until now. The motivation is a FREE stamp that so darn cute!!! She would make a good home here among my other stamp friends.

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Florence, Kitties Kit
Ink: baja breeze, kiwi kiss, night of navy, creamy caramel, close to cocoa, pumpkin pie, copics for the shades and the skin, basic gray, going gray. Water colored and also used reinker pen and then straight markers and stamping.
DSP: Urban Garden retired ~ it was sitting on my desk calling my name
Paper: baja breeze, PTI white
Ribbon and friskars wave punch, circle punch

My Favorite things back to school blue challenge

Another MFT's challenge and of course I have to play! It's late, so I will be brief. I saw this card today and commented on her blog how all the great dsp is retired and of course, how much I loved the card design. While searching for some cute blue dsp, I ran across this very same dsp, new, unopened! lol. So yeah, I kopykat'd it. lol. You know I broke my sewing machine the first time I used it, so I had to peirce all those little holes and use my gel pen and still did not get an even line, lol. But I like it.

Stamps: MFT pure innocence; tea party, snag em's for the apple

DSP: sweet slumber - retired SU, Ruby Red - retired SU, baja breeze SU (back for keepers), PTI White.

Ink: Memento tuxedo black, copics, SU markers: ruby red, so saffron, and baja breeze.

Button, twine, white ribbon, brads, signo white gel pen.

Thanks for looking, wish me luck!

Welcome Home Aric

Our nephew is coming home this week after a long Journey and I wanted to make him a welcome home card. I used SU's sentimental journey and travel journal dsp. I found a great card here and have been wanting to make this for him for a while now.

Okay it's bedtime now and I am hoping the puppy will let us sleep tonight......zzzzz.

Possum, the other white meat

Sleep deprivation will make you do weird things, lol. This is for Anne's challenge on SCS, QFTD25, witty title for your card. Well, my other card how flowers and while I thought of the song, "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right..." I just couldn't reach that far. So I stayed up late and made this card....lol. There she goes is also having a challenge to use teal, kraft and black on your cards. Man I had to reach for this one, it was not easy and I am still not sure how I feel about it really. I do like that I used my new wonky squares Spellbinder dies. Whoot!

I hope you get a laugh out of this one, this set sure does make me laugh.

Kioshi year of flowers for a queen

Anne Russell has a new Queen for the Day this week over at SCS and it's Phyllis. I chose to case her year of flowers card here. I flipped her sketch, omitted the border for two bows, and used different colors and dsp.

This is actually the second one I colored up. Have you ever thought a background sponging in a certain color would really bring out the colors? Well, trial and error I suppose. lol. I also watercolored the first draft completely and embossed the images, so I spent a lot of learning time here today. lol.

With this card, I inked up the images in memento black, brought out my limited copic collection and found three colors for the flowers that would work. I watercolored the leaves with Tim Holtz inks, and sponged around the image in one of my fav's - Memento Cantelope. Now when something is not broken, I guess I should not fix it, but I do like to try new things out. lol. Oh and just for Phyllis, I added some spica pen glitter to the flowers, she likes them to shine.

Another new thing (for me) is using the outside of the box (or nestie) cutting. I cannot recall who's blog I read this tutorial on but then she referenced it to another blog with a similar tutorial. Basically you put your nestie over your image, decide what you want to flow outside of the shape, fussy cut around that and lift it over the edges of the nestie so it does not cut. The leaves were tricky because I am used to being able to start at another angle when I cut them out and this time I couldn't.

If you have time, visit Phyllis' gallery and leave her some comments. She is a wonderful fellow SCS'er.

Fairy Pixie-Licious Girl

Oh my, puppy got me up at 3:30 this morning. He wasn't tired anymore either, lol. This did give me some time and opportunity to make a card for the MFT's sketch challenge happening over on SCS. So I decided to use my pixie-licious dsp from Cosmo Cricket and get to work. Initially I colored her dress with twinkling H2O's, but could not get the blending to happen to lighten up in the right spots, so I went ahead and did the stand-by paper peirce, which I really like anyway. Her skin and hair is colored in copics, I did use the twinkling H2O's for the mushroom and part of her wings and hearts. I used a spica glitter pen for the wings as well as the wand and grass highlights. Love those spica pens. Hope you like it.

Designer Owl

I saw this card on SCS and had to make one too! Love the new dsp and the owl punch that's new from Stampin' Up.

Owls in Love

I just love this owl punch and all the different things you can do with him. I used a few stamp sets here; SU sprinkles, PTI out on a limb, Kittie Kits master 1, and well scripted "love you much" on the inside. I saw this card and had to kopykat, her blog has a short video on how she made it, which was really awesome!!!

Wanted.....

Look out people, there is a new sheriff in town and he means buisness. I found this cute little owl punch art card here and had to make my own version of it. I used SU "wanted" set, craft, riverwalk, choc chip, daffodil, razzleberry, white and black on this little guy. The original card had swinging doors, but I chose mine to be stayed put. I had a lot of fun with the owl punch these past couple days and now it's time to move on to some other stuff, but you'll be seeing him again soon, he's just too cute!

I Won!!!

I won the really reasonable ribbon Aloha challenge with my Aloha card. I am so excited!!!! Here is the link to the good news. I was so surprised and delighted at the same time. I can't beleave I made a card good enough to win a challenge, whoooo hooooo! Plus, you know, this stuff is fun. And I get $10.00 in free ribbon which is really sweet! Thanks to Bonnie and all those over at RRR for a great challenge and pushing me further than I thought I would or could go.

This card was posted a few days ago, all the deets are there including a link to the knot tutorial.

Friends don't let others.....

Oh another KopyKat from our Queen for the Day 24 at SCS, this is her cute card. I just had to make one of these. I love the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.....about your friends!!! lol.

This card uses:

Stamps: teeny tiny wishes by SU

Punches: (Oh Yeah baby!) SU's new owl punch, birds and branches die (retired from SU), modern label punch, window punch.

Paper: SU dsp - some retired now I think, river rock, chocolate chip, white, real red, old olive.

Hope you like it as much as I liked hers, it's a great idea.

Top of the food chain

Don't you ever wish you could climb on top of the food bowl and just dig in? lol. It's even better when it's someone elses food! This food bowl is for our 100 lb chocolate lab. Why is it that someone elses food always tastes so much better, no matter who you are???

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